quote:Originally posted by Jurg Bolli:There seems to be a photo of Conrad wearing a funny hat in the command module, with a propeller on it: eternal joker, I wish I had met him.

That hat is at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, I've heard plenty of people snicker when they see it, with a photo of him wearing it right next to it. Some have commented, "There's no way an astronaut would wear that," apparently not realizing most of these former military pilots are just the kind to do stuff like that.

Tom

quote:Originally posted by Dirk:I can find no photo of Lovell with this kind of suit. All pictures are without the red band.

I believe the Navy anchor on Lovell's LEVA is shown in in-flight television footage of the LM inspection.

heng44

Here is a screenshot from the Apollo 13 TV transmission shortly before the explosion. Haise shows Lovell's helmet during a tour of the LM.

LM-12

quote:Originally posted by LM-12:Here is a black and white photo that shows the stripes.

Does a colour version of this photo exist?

schnappsicle

Playing devil's advocate here, but why would NASA allow Lovell to put the Navy anchor on his helmet? From what I can recall, Eisenhower established NASA to be a non-military branch of the services. He wanted to avoid using space for military purposes. Yes, I know all the astronauts back then were military test pilots. But when they came to NASA, there were no ranks or branches. Everyone was technically equal.

I'm only asking because I think a Navy anchor would only serve to reinforce (magnify) the military's role in NASA, something the U.S. wanted to avoid at all costs.

Before you shoot me, I think it's awesome that Lovell did it. I just can't understand how he got away with it.

onesmallstep

Yes, astronauts may have been (and still are) technically 'equal' as to dress (civilian) and being addressed by their first name in many cases, but the similarities end there. Military officers of any branch are technically 'seconded' to NASA, and as such receive their base pay according to their rank, plus (for the pilots) flight pay.

And they do wear their pilot/naval flight officer/etc. wings on their flight coveralls. Conrad and Gordon wore theirs on their space suits on Gemini 11.

LM-12

Looks like Fred Haise can be seen behind Jim Lovell in this March 25 photo that also shows the stripes.

User997

I saw Lovell's Apollo 13 EVA helmet in person at the Chicago's Adler Planetarium back in 2008 and it very clearly had the Navy logo on it. Displayed along with it was the Apollo 8 capsule and various other memorabilia from his two Apollo spaceflights.

schnappsicle

I know why the other helmets weren't reused, but why wasn't this helmet used later by Shepard, Young or Cernan?

Was there any consideration given to reuse perfectly good parts of Lovell or Haise's suits by later crews?

Rick Mulheirn

On later missions (Apollo 15 onwards) NASA used the amended A7LB suits for lunar EVA. The lunar regolith was not kind to hard surfaces/moving parts on the suits so reusing suits parts would not have been advisable. Though I am sure the LEVA would have been transferable.

Ken Mattingly wore John Young's LEVA for his deep space EVA.

By the time Lovell flew I'd imagine the suits for 14 were already made and complete.

robsouth

I don't think Lovell did put those stickers on his helmet. During the TV broadcast just before the explosion he asks the ground, "Okay, Jack. Who fixed up our LEVVAs?" I think this was a joke played on the prime crew by the backup crew or support crew.